1934 RILEY Special

* Perfection down to the last detail with handmade aluminum body, real craftsmanship!
* Very rare 6 in-line engine with 6 Amal carburettors (one per cylinder!)
* Due to the Satain blue RAC color, the design of this beautiful Riley comes into its own. He reminds us of the vintage race Bugatti's, which nowadays have often become museum pieces.

Unique Pre War Riley from 1934. Inspired by Freddie Dixon.
Legend Freddie Dixon started racing cars at the age of 38, after a long and successful career on the motorcycle. He started with a tuned Riley Brooklands, but soon switched to 6-cylinder cars that he built himself. He had many successes which made him great. Dixon's most notable rally successes were: Winning the Brooklands 500 Mile Race in 1934 & 36; Placed 2nd in 3 separate events in 1935; and many high places achieved in the races on the Isle of Man.
He was so successful that he led the official Riley Works teams. Even in 1933 when Riley ran 6-cylinder cars against the 4-cylinder Brooklands developed by Freddie Dixon himself! So he was his own competitor!

This aluminum Riley Special is made with great craftsmanship and an eye for every detail. Details of this craftsmanship can be found in, among other things, the 211 handmade louvres, which dissipate the engine heat faster. The labour-intensive mechanism that activates and connects all 6 carburettors at the same time is impressive to see. Especially when you realize that it has taken days to make this with extreme precision. In addition, rivets ensure a firm connection of the aluminum sheet metal parts. The front and rear parts of the body are connected by two strips. These are fastened to each other by means of bolts and provided with locking wire against vibrating loose. In the past, this technique was often used on racing cars and, in addition to being functional, it is also simply beautiful to look at. The bucket seats made especially for this car are very special. The base of the bucket seats is made by hand from aluminum. The seat is covered with sturdy quality leather. At the back, this leather is tensioned in the aluminum frame by means of leather laces. During sporty cornering, you sit firmly in the adjustable bucket seats. Thanks to an ingenious mechanism, the frames of the bucket seats can be folded forwards, so that the lockable spacious luggage compartment is easily accessible.
The leather armrests are very nice, with a serrated hem and a leather lace. The aluminum dashboard is equipped with 5 'Jeager' counter instruments, to be called; tachometer, odometer, water temperature gauge, fuel gauge and oil pressure, which incidentally indicates a very good oil pressure.
This car, originally from New Zealand, was a very good basis for building the 'special', partly because the engine, gearbox and chassis belong together.
The engine was rebuilt with new connecting rods and features a 1,2,3 ignition. The 'Pre-select' gearbox belongs to the engine block and chassis. Cost and effort have been spared; new brake linings, aluminum radiator and water pump have been fitted. The Riley also has a long cardan shaft to be able to drive quietly at low speeds. and a special manifold fabricated to accommodate six Amal carburettors.

Since its completion, the car has been used to attend the 'Concour D'Elegance' and 'Vintage Revival Zandvoort', with minimal mileage on the road. With a first-class appearance, with great attention to detail. It is equipped with rare Riley headlights (with emblem) and turn signals. The 19" spoked wheels are shod with Blockley tires. The handmade mudguards are mounted just above the tires. A great view while driving.
To allow this pre-war to come to a good stop, the car is equipped with cooled brake drums. The brakes are controlled with very solid brake cables. The beautiful handbrake with ditto mechanism is placed outside the body. So that the driver has as much freedom of movement as possible. The nicely rounded folding windows protect the driver and passenger.
Due to the adjustable damping both front and rear, the driving behavior can be adjusted according to the environment.
Great care has been taken in the finish under the hood, 6 spare spark plugs have been placed on the aluminum bulkhead with Riley logo. Copper pipes are used. And the radiator is made of aluminum.
In addition to a mass switch, the Riley has an electrical system with modern relays, which are out of sight, but are easily accessible.

In terms of design, the intention was to design a sporty body for two occupants, and space for luggage. The complete aluminum body offers a lot of space behind the seats for any luggage. The sheet metal has a timeless design. Take a good look at how beautifully the curves of the sheet metal run and come together in the boattail with a racing fuel cap on top. And, of course, everything is beautifully accentuated by the perfectly matched (RAC) blue racing color with contrasting aluminum running boards.

And then the driving… really fantastic! And exactly what you can expect from a pre-war perfectly prepared in every detail. In this case, not steering too heavily and feeling exactly what the wheel position is and what kind of road surface the Englishman is driving on. The long wheelbase and the large 19-inch tires, on the other hand, provide wonderful comfort. The 1.5 liter 6 cylinder engine with double overhead camshafts and a light-shifting 'Pre-select' gearbox give an intense contact with the mechanics, which affects both occupants, but of course especially the driver to the bone. The blissful sound from the double stainless steel exhaust is music to your ears. This is exactly what driving a pre-war is all about. The experience of driving something special, relaxing, enjoying driving and having the feeling of really being the driver. The latter may sound strange to those who have never driven a pre-war before, but in a more modern car everything happens so naturally that the feeling of being really connected to the car is often hard to find.

This Riley has everything the demanding owner has on his list: impressive, perfection in every detail, exclusivity and comfort mixed with sportiness.

Curious about this Special? Feel free to make an appointment.

We can also arrange the export documents and transport for you.

We have been trading in vintage, classic and modern sports cars for years, with sales throughout the Netherlands, Europe and the rest of the world. We offer a wonderful variety of collector cars capable of providing years of pure pleasure, which you can find online at www.carrosso.com or by visiting our showroom in Oldemarkt, an hour's drive from Amsterdam.
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